OKC Companies Offer Employees New Ways To Work

Technology in the workplace has allowed people the flexibility of working virtually anywhere. We found several new ways people are on the job, sometimes while being out of the office.

"We live in an era where people want more than just a paycheck so we want a space that's conducive to creativity," said Staplegun CEO Philip Baker.

For Baker, that means taking down the walls, literally, to give his employees an open workspace.

"If I'm having a challenge or I need a quick brainstorm, I can literally go 'hey, Kayla, Emma, Chris, I need you guys right now' and we all literally campfire real quick and kind of discuss things," said Jason Redman, Account Coordinator at Staplegun.

The walls that do stand serve as brainstorming areas where ideas are shared and scribbled on the walls.

"When we bring our partners in, we want them to feel the creative vibe, we want them to feel the talent that's here and the energy that went into what we make for them," Baker said.

That energy he says is fueled by allowing his employees the flexibility in how they work, from standing desks inside to the freedom to roam outside.

"It's nice to go to a coffee shop or go somewhere else, wherever you're comfortable to get, you know, your creative juices flowing, and really hone in on what you are doing," said Kayla Stump, Media Services Manager at Staplegun.

"We want to have fun doing our jobs," admits Baker. "If we're not having a good time, well we're probably doing it wrong."

Staplegun isn't the only business to realize the benefit of offering creative work spaces. Tommy Yi started offering co-working space in Oklahoma City six years ago.

"We find that people are far more productive and more creative in terms of their ideas if they're in a space that fosters that type of activity and behavior," Yi said.

At StarSpace46, people share work space in one location, but they don't work for the same company.

"It's been really good to get out and meet new people," said Cara Bell, co-owner of Steed Interactive.

Bell started a digital marketing company two years ago from home with her husband and now she splits her time traveling and working at StarSpace46.

"It just helps to be able to think through things with other people," she said.

StarSpace46 offers private office space and conference rooms or you can just reserve a desk.

"I didn't feel like we always needed to be together," said Sarah Taylor, Publisher at MetroFamily Magazine.

Taylor has nine employees but they're not in the office, physically, they're at home. Editor Hannah Schmitt works on the magazine from her laptop with her son Theo by her side.

"Editing the content as it comes in, laying it out on the pages, updating our website," Schmitt said. "It's really important to work when he's asleep."

The magazine's marketing director Callie Collins spent two hours a day commuting to her last job.

"I was really tired of seeing bumper to bumper traffic twice a day when I would much rather be seeing my child," Collins said.

Now she's integrated her work day with her two little boys.

"There's a misperception that working from home means you're not working," she said. "No you're absolutely working you're just doing that from a different space. I get more done in a short period of time than I could be sitting at a desk."

"When they need to go get their kids from school or go see a school program, they can just take off and go," said Taylor. "There's that move and give and that's okay, as long as we're getting the job done."